Cold affecting sleep (it got a bit long, sorry)

[rosiefean]

Hi Everyone,

My DS is 15 weeks old and had been sleeping through up until he had diarrhoea (waking at around 4am). He's over that now and has slept through once since, but he now has a cold and is waking regularly through the night (last night he went to sleep at 7, up at 1 and didn't settle until 2, 4.40am, then was awake at 6 and didn't settle again until we "woke him up" at 7am). After getting used to a decent nights sleep again, it's killing me!

He's never been a good napper so I'm worried that he's not getting enough total sleep. Yesterday I took him for a 2 and a half hour drive just to get him to snooze! I can't do that today as DP has the car for work Mon-Fri. I was going to start nap training (I have the no-cry sleep book and was thinking about starting soon) but it seems a bit pointless if he's going to be woken up 'cos he's ill, so he's currently snoozing in his sling as per usual.

The HV has said to tip up his cot so his nose doesn't get blocked, try baby vicks, feed him more during the day and give water at night (he's formula fed...) and not to worry about giving him a dummy to settle him.

I have been beating myself up a bit about giving him a dummy - it feels a little cold to just stick it in his mouth and leave him to suck but he seems to like it. Also, I'm worried that it'll set a precedent, but if I take it out before he's asleep he just wakes right back up again.

Any advice, sympathy or other things to try would be most gratefully received!

Ta

Rosie

DD started waking cold at night when she kicked off her blankets. I brought gro-bags then and they were great, helped loads. I also used to tilt the cot slightly and use olbas oil on a tissue next to her cot at night when she had a cold, and lavendar oil when she was restless. I could never get her to nap well in the day either, 45mins if I was lucky. I used to take her out in the pushchair to get her off to sleep - cheaper than driving the car round!

Thanks LittleB, it's good to know I'm not alone. I read the No Cry Sleep Solution book yesterday and nearly died when it said he should be having 5-6 hours nap time! He had over an hour (on me, while I sat very still!) at lunchtime, so I'm happy for the moment... although he did wake up screaming which was very upsetting. A feed calmed him down but I'm not sure if it's what he needed, more sleep might have been the thing but he wasn't having any of it.

He still looks tired to me, but he's wriggling happily on his playmat. I wish I could look as refreshed!

No answers, I'm afraid, but watching this thread with interest! My DS used to sleep through until about 17 weeks, when he had his final immunisations. He then got a cold, then the runs. He's over both, now, but still waking at about 1am and 4am, despite tilted cot, olbas oil, lavender oil, giving vast bottles of formula, etc etc...

I can also only get him to nap for more than 45 mins if we're in a pub/restaurant! Perhaps I'll buy a CD of pub chatter...

(Mine is the WTF with my 4-month old thread!)

Well, I've been to Boots and I have Karvol decongestant capsules, Nasosal spray and a nasal decongester. He doesn't have a completely blocked nose, but hopefully nuking it will stop any problems before they start.

DP did buy a sleepytime nursery rhyme CD and I have been using it today. Not sure it works on DS but it certainly chilled me out!

Fingers crossed for more sleep than last night!